Effective precision learning or fragmented chunks of information?
This blog post is about micro-learning as a way to develop organisational competences. At the same time, I offer critical reflections on the fragmentation, speed and apparent ease of learning. In my previous blog post, I discussed the role of AI in organisational knowledge development and its potential threats. Microlearning, I believe, has similar opportunities, but also threats. Or could it be that knowledge development is more or less done by feel and as “it has always been done before”? .
Definition and benefits of micro-learning
So what is micro-learning? According to one definition, it is “A pragmatic innovation in lifelong learning that has the potential to support flexible learning. It can be easily integrated into everyday activities to support individual learning goals and needs.” (Buchem and Hamelmann, 2010) Another definition says that microlearning is a way of learning that does not require long-term concentration on the part of the learner. It also refers to precisely defined content in online environments.
I do get the idea and there is a lot of good in it. A few minutes of video is often enough to learn about a particular phenomenon or content. It doesn’t always make much sense to organise heavy training if you can actually learn something quickly, in a micro-learning spirit. I use this approach myself, both at work and in my free time. You learn a surprising amount of useful things from TikTok, as well as from short TedTalk videos and podcasts. Often technical environments are updated so quickly that micro-learning is the only sensible way to train for new features.
A critical perspective on micro-learning
But then the criticism. It takes thought, leadership and planning to keep skills development under control and content aligned with organisational objectives. If and when micro-learning is one of the ways an organisation develops competences, it easily knows the challenges of knowledge fragmentation and accessibility. Who really has the capacity to keep the whole intact? When learning material comes in small batches and in relatively large quantities, who is responsible for the quality, integrity and timeliness of the information?
As an educator, I wish that short videos of a few minutes were not the only way to develop skills. There is also a place for broad overviews and in-depth study. I would also stress the importance of creating a sense of community and the opportunity to share ideas through discussion. How have others seen and experienced what you are studying? What kind of interpretations has even a short video given rise to? What would be good to learn afterwards?
Micro-learning in an e-learning environment
Fortunately, today’s e-learning environments allow all of these features to be combined, if only their potential is exploited. Discussion areas and, for example, exercises that return a self-recorded reflection video for all to see, create a continuum between micro-learning learning modules and longer-term learning and even storytelling. What opportunities do the e-learning platforms used by your organisation offer for such activation and collaboration? And if you are in the process of purchasing or replacing a platform, I would recommend adding these features to your list of requirements.
Micro-learning is therefore a good part of an organisation’s competence development toolbox. It is agile and allows for precision learning. Particularly where other aspects of competence are already in place, small, precisely targeted learning modules can be used to supplement competence in an appropriate way. But I wouldn’t count on it too much. If an individual does not have the whole body of knowledge in place, short and quick learning modules can, at worst, create the illusion of skills that are not really there. However, when used appropriately and judiciously, microlearning is an excellent part of an organisation’s overall competence development.
Author’s introduction:
Simo Marttinen, a former classroom teacher, current civil servant and a fairly long-standing digital educator. Lives in Jyväskylä, enjoys cooking and knows and thinks he knows about many things.
